Faith Renewed with Pope Francis in the Sun
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Middlesbrough March 2019 Diocesan Issue 463 Catholic VOICE FREE What’s Family Fast Tunnel Statue Bishop’s Day Blessed Inside Page 8 Page 13 Column What did the Faith Renewed With Pope say at World Youth Day Pope Francis In The Sun in Panama? At the end of January I went with a group of young people from the diocese to World Youth Day in Panama. It was a truly wonderful experience. Over a period of four days the Holy Father spoke to us all – young and old. I just wanted to share with you some of his words and hope that they touch your hearts, as they did ours… “The culture of encounter is what makes us walk together with our differences but also with love, everyone united on the same journey … ‘true love does not eliminate legitimate differences, but harmonises them in a superior unity’ (Benedict XVI, Homily, January 25 2006.) On the other hand, we know that the father of lies, the devil, always prefers people who are divided and quarrelling. He is the master of division, and he is afraid of people who have learned to work together. This is a criterion for distinguishing people: those who build bridges and those who build walls. The builders of Pope Francis drives past our Middlesbrough pilgrims in Panama City walls seek to sow fear and make people afraid. But you want to be bridge builders! A group of 20 young people from our diocese travelled to Krakow, Poland, in 2016 – but I sharing a field with almost a million other Let us aim at having a dream in common. A plus Bishop Terry, Father William Massie, still couldn’t have anticipated how good it young people from around the world, dream named Jesus. Do not be afraid to love, Father Phil Cunnah, Deacon Peter Taylor and would be. kneeling and all praying together in silence in do not be afraid of this concrete love, of this two Franciscan sisters, flew out from The highlight of the trip has to be the front of the Blessed Sacrament. The silence of love which is tender, which is service, which Newcastle to Panama City – via Heathrow and overnight vigil. On Saturday morning we left so many people took my breath away. gives life. Think of Mary and answer: ‘I want to Bogota – to join Pope Francis for World Youth our hotel to start our journey to the site. We In the morning, after sleeping under the stars, serve the Lord. Let it be done to me according Day. One of our young people, MICHAEL took the metro but walked most of the way. It Pope Francis led us in Mass, which was to your word.’ KENDALL, tells us more about their was tiring in the 30-degree heat – even with exceptional. In the homily he inspired us by Dear young friends, the most hope-filled result unforgettable pilgrimage…. my newly purchased Panama hat – but it was telling us we are the “Now of God”. He of this day will not be a final document, a joint World Youth Day in Panama was an amazing definitely worth it. encouraged us to continue living the faith and letter or a programme to be carried out. The experience. In one week I felt every emotion After the sun went down, Pope Francis arrived most hope-filled result of this meeting will be and made memories that will last a lifetime. to lead us in adoration and then we had Continued on Page 2 your faces and a prayer. ‘Lord, teach me to This was my second World Youth Day – I also Benediction. The experience was surreal, love as you have loved us.’ Only that which is loved can be saved. For this reason we’re saved by Jesus, because he loves us and can’t go against his nature. Only that which is embraced can be transformed. The Lord’s love is greater than all our problems, frailties and flaws. He always, always, always embraces us whenever we fall: he helps us to get up and get back on our feet. Because the worst fall, and pay attention to this, the worst fall, that can ruin our lives, is to remain down and not allow ourselves to be helped up. Don’t stay down. An independent family owned & run It is impossible for us to grow unless we have business providing a personal strong roots to support us. And here is a and efficient service question that we older people have to ask ourselves: What roots are we providing for you, • Practising Catholic Funeral Director what foundations are we providing for you to grow as persons? within the company • Pre-paid funeral plans available Dreaming of a future means learning how to • Guidance & Quotations willingly given answer not only the question what am I living for, but also who am I living for, the one who makes it worthwhile for me to offer my life. And that is something we, older persons, must 78 MAIN STREET, facilitate by providing work, education, WILLERBY, HULL community and opportunities. Would you older Tel: (01482) 656537 Continued on Page 2 www.robertadrew.com 2 + Middlesbrough Diocesan Catholic Voice + March 2019 NEWS Faith Renewed With Pope Francis In The Sun Continued from Page 1 sharing it with others around us. Another highlight for me was the catechesis sessions, attended by around 1,000 other English-speaking pilgrims. This gave us a chance to meet others from around the world and talk about our faith. It also offered an opportunity to learn more about our faith through the talks. Each was led by inspirational individuals, including Bishop Edward Burns from the Diocese of Dallas and Bishop Alan Williams of Brentwood Diocese. The sessions were followed by a Mass together with the other English-speaking pilgrims. We also attended a reconciliation service, which gave us an opportunity to go to confession. I mustn’t forget to mention how friendly and welcoming the locals were to us. As we walked around as a group with our Union Jack flag, many of the passing cars honked their horns and waved to us. Even when crossing the roads, cars would stop for us and local The Middlesbrough group, with Michael on the extreme left cafés left free water out for us to drink in the boiling heat. catechesis sessions. it’s an experience you will never forget. I’ve and for all the generous support offered to To sum up, World Youth Day has definitely Finally, I had the privilege of meeting others already started a countdown for WYD Portugal our youth service.” strengthened my faith, by seeing so many in 2022! other young Catholics from around the world from around the world and formed many new *Follow @MYMissionTeam on Twitter and look who share the same beliefs as I do. I was friendships with others from our diocese. *Father Phil adds: “We were blessed to have out for news of more social media accounts inspired by the words from Pope Francis and I would definitely recommend World Youth Barney Ord with us and I would like to thank coming soon! learnt more about my faith through the Day to anyone who has the chance to go – him for helping us organise this pilgrimage Continued from Page 1 Offering Hope To The Homeless Continuing our regular series focusing on Bishop’s some of the groups that form Caritas Middlesbrough and are engaged in social outreach, Positive Pathways development worker TERRY DOYLE tells us about his Column important work… Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald recently visited the St John Paul Centre in the heart of the town. persons like to look at young people with The centre is owned by the Diocese of God’s eyes? Middlesbrough and is emerging as a real hub Jesus reveals the now of God, who comes to for helping some of our most marginalised empowering the people Andy met. We want meet us and calls us to take part in his now of adults. people to feel a greater sense of belonging in ‘proclaiming good news to the poor … bringing the town we all love and share. Andy visited the Upper Room project, which is liberty to the captives and recovering of sight run by brilliant volunteers every Saturday. It We should never underestimate the power of to the blind, setting at liberty those who are has been going for decades, feeding around listening to people whose lives are in some oppressed, announcing the year of the Lord’s 60 vulnerable people each week. He way broken. Whether someone is dirty, favour’ (Lk 4:18-19). It becomes present with described how he went home and wept at dishevelled and smelly through sleeping Jesus: it has a face, it is flesh. It is a merciful what he had witnessed, the numbing reality rough on our streets or has different colour love that does not wait for ideal or perfect of people living such desperate lives here in skin and is destitute, as dozens of asylum situations. In Jesus, the promised future begins the town he represents in parliament. seekers whose applications have failed and becomes life. When? Now. You, dear young through no fault of their own are, whether Maybe part of the solution to what Andy people, are not the future. No, you are the someone is lonely and isolated or suffering witnessed is under the same roof, namely the present, you are the now of God. from mental health issues such as anxiety and Positive Pathways Project, managed by Brothers and sisters, the Lord and his mission depression, these are all people who Pope homelessness charity Depaul UK, and working are not something temporary, they are not only Francis is encouraging us to “accompany”, to alongside the Church Urban Fund’s Together for World Day of Youth, they are our life today, get to know, to acknowledge, to take the time Middlesbrough & Cleveland.